Robotic hand

Japanese scientists from the ATR Computational Neuroscience laboratories in Kioto have produced a robotic hand controlled only by the thoughts of the user. The hand imitates the movement of a natural hand by means of real-time analysis of brain activity.

People taking part in the experiment made 'stone, paper or scissors' shape with the right hand. A scanner recorded the corresponding brain activity by measuring blood flow in the brain.

The information was forwarded to a computer which controlled the robotic hand. After a short period of training, the computer could associate the brain activity with the shape being made.

When the person made a fist (stone) the computer instructed the robotic hand to do the same, using only the signals from the brain.

Although the method works slowly and is expensive, it represents an important milestone in the construction of prostheses controlled by the thoughts of the user.